A Sudden Outburst and a Curious Journey

The door creaked open.

Chloe’s eyes immediately darted towards the doorway.

“What are you doing? Why are you in such a state?”

Tia frowned, her gaze sweeping over Chloe’s inexplicably disheveled appearance before settling on the small wound on her forehead.

Had I been too rough yesterday, making her so sore that she couldn’t even walk steadily? Tia pondered, bewildered. How could someone get injured inside their own room?

The vivid red streak of blood triggered a primal instinct in Tia, prompting a fleeting urge to step forward and offer comfort. However, the moment her eyes met Chloe’s resentful face, the thought vanished.

“Why are you staring at me like that? I didn’t injure you.”

Tia found Chloe’s gaze unbearable, an unbidden irritation flaring within her. Her eyes were different from before. Before, even when resentment showed on her face, it was the aggrieved look of a wronged woman. But now… it was a fierce glare, as if she were facing a sworn enemy.

Tia conceded that her actions had indeed been overly subjective, but humans were emotional creatures. If everything were governed by reason, why hadn’t they achieved mechanical ascension ages ago? Even torturing Chloe wouldn’t change the predetermined outcome or bring back the departed Yilan, yet her emotions had driven her to this, and so she had done it. After all, the power of a Magical Girl afforded her the luxury of acting on impulse.

Let her resent me; at worst, we’ll simply hate each other!

How many such hatreds in the human world could have been dismissed with a laugh, yet instead festered for centuries, culminating in countless deaths? What difference would one more make?

“Are you here to mock me? If not, then get out!”

Chloe herself was startled by her outburst, nervously observing Tia’s reaction, her eyes once again clouded with apprehension. Still, it felt incredibly satisfying to curse her out, heheh…

Tia’s reaction wasn’t anger, but rather astonishment. Her gaze was complex, as if she were scrutinizing something unfamiliar, her deep purple eyes seemingly probing into Chloe’s very depths.

“Collect yourself. We’ll be going out on a hunting mission shortly.”

The emotion on her face barely rippled before Tia turned and departed.

“Phew…”

Chloe, still shaken, patted her chest, suddenly realizing her body had returned to normal and the pain was gone. She actually cursed at Tia; it felt so exhilarating! Recalling her reaction just now, it was probably only because I was already in unbearable pain that I dared to curse her like that, a sort of ‘nothing left to lose’ attitude.

In the bathroom, she simply wet a towel to wipe away the bloodstains, then changed into her casual clothes, considering herself tidied up.

“Oh, I almost left you behind.”

Tying Papertreat back to her waist, Chloe’s mood instantly brightened.

“It’s truly wonderful to have you with me, Papertreat.”

“Is the hunting mission assigned by the Watchtower?”

The atmosphere in the car had been eerily silent since they set off, and Chloe disliked such stagnant stillness. She sat in the middle of the back seat, leaning slightly forward.

Tia, who was driving, remained silent for a moment, then spoke just before Chloe was about to give up on a reply: “No.”

“Then who?”

“It’s my personal decision.”

“Why?”

“Witches are not simple enemies. Once you’re entangled with one, it’s difficult to break free. Your combat ability is too weak, and I can’t always be near you.”

How could that be impossible? I thought it was highly plausible.

Resting her elbow on the central armrest, her palm supporting her chin, she glanced sideways at Tia, who was driving intently, appearing unusually relaxed.

Why did Tia suddenly seem more subdued after being cursed at? Could she be one of those perverts who actually enjoys being reprimanded? Given Tia’s past displays of mental instability, Chloe couldn’t rule out such a possibility. She was now treating Tia free of their previous absurd master-servant dynamic, and the other woman surprisingly showed no reaction.

“So, you’re worried about me?”

A mischievous smirk unconsciously played on Chloe’s lips, only to be innocently retracted the moment Tia suddenly turned her head to glare, making Chloe shrink her neck like a naughty kitten caught in the act. Despite this, Tia offered no verbal response.

‘I’ll take that as a ‘yes’, heheh.’

“By the way, what exactly is a Witch?” Chloe recalled the term; no one from the Watchtower had ever mentioned it.

“Witches are simply smarter demons,” Tia replied briskly.

“Is it really that simple? You’re not lying to me, are you?” Chloe was somewhat skeptical. That wasn’t just “smarter”; ordinary demons were utterly like beasts, retaining only evil obsessions with no discernible thought. But Isabella, in particular, was clearly no less intelligent than us. If Tia hadn’t said anything, I would have assumed she was some fallen Magical Girl.

Tia’s voice suddenly grew louder. “What I say, goes.”

As she spoke, her foot slammed down on the accelerator, and the sudden jolt of inertia flung the unprepared Chloe against the seat.

“Ah! Just say what you mean! What’s the hurry!”

Though falling onto the leather seat usually caused no pain, it unfortunately grazed the wound on Chloe’s forehead. She quickly touched it, relieved it wasn’t bleeding.

Tia observed Chloe’s actions through the rearview mirror, her crescent-like eyebrows subtly twitching.

“Your wound hasn’t healed yet?” Her tone was tinged with doubt.

“How could it heal so fast! After what you just did, it’ll probably take even longer to recover. It’s all your fault!”

Tia’s brow furrowed deeper, her amethyst-like eyes gazing unfocused at the road ahead, as if contemplating something else. Soon, her red lips parted slightly: “A Magical Girl’s basic regenerative abilities are enough to heal a wound of this severity in mere seconds. It seems I’ll have to take you to a doctor, and while we’re there, we can figure out what’s going on with your ears and tail.”

“A doctor? Do doctors even understand Magical Girl issues?” Chloe tilted her head, her golden locks swaying to one side, her curious, wide eyes looking utterly adorable.

“Not an ordinary doctor… she’s a friend I know.”

“Is she a Magical Girl too? Like a healing-type support, a gentle big sister, perhaps? Unlike some people.”

Ignoring the last few words, Tia calmly replied, “She isn’t a Magical Girl, but she understands Magical Girls better than many of them do. For instance, the fox features you developed in your Magical Girl form—I imagine she’d be quite interested.”

The car continued its steady journey, the outside clamor transforming into a solitary backdrop as it filtered into the cabin. Midday sun streamed in, and Chloe, leaning against the window, saw white and gold merge in the light. The scattering golden “dust” made her appear exceptionally ethereal. Feeling the warmth, Chloe couldn’t help but comfortably narrow her eyes, unconsciously emitting a strange purring sound.

“I thought you didn’t care about this.”

“Care about what?”

“My growing fox ears and tail, and such.”

“I don’t care; I’m merely curious.”

Chuckling softly, Chloe picked up Papertreat from her waist and whispered conspiratorially into its ear, “Papertreat, do you think Tia is telling the truth?”

[She’s clearly lying! She definitely cares about you, Master!]

“Really? But she doesn’t seem like that kind of person.”

[People’s thoughts are always changing! Maybe she’s just a tsundere?]

“I’ll believe you this once, Papertreat.”

Tia turned her head, looking at Chloe as if she were a child.

“Who are you talking to?”

“No one~ Just focus on driving.”

Gazing into those innocent, amber eyes, Tia was silent for a moment before turning her head back to the road.

“Phew! She almost overheard our conversation!” Chloe whispered to Papertreat.